Bears wrap up radical offseason
By NICK HUT -- Shaw Suburban Media
LAKE FOREST – The prelude to the Bears’ offseason was a full-squad mini-camp in the middle of March that now seems inconsequential.
Kyle Orton was the quarterback, Frank Omiyale was the primary left tackle and the talk mostly was about which wide receiver the team might be able to get in the first round of the draft.
The Bears radically changed the course of their team two weeks later, finally ending their search for a franchise-caliber quarterback by trading for Jay Cutler.
They signed seven-time Pro Bowl selection Orlando Pace to play left tackle that same day. They signed a potential starting linebacker in Pisa Tinoisamoa about two months later.
In sum, a team that looked to be on a downward slope rejuvenated itself.
How that translates on the field will become a bit clearer when training camp begins July 31, and more so when the regular season begins Sept. 13 at Green Bay.
Until then, the Bears can reflect on a fruitful offseason during what essentially is six weeks of vacation. The offseason program ended with a team meeting Thursday.
“We still have to come together as a team,” coach Lovie Smith said. “I’m excited about what we have done [practicing] in shorts. We need to get in pads. We’ll find out a lot more about our football team then.
“But at this stage, I think we’ve done about all we set out to do.”
The Bears head into training camp with a talented backfield in Cutler and running back Matt Forte. Questions linger at receiver, leading to speculation about adding Plaxico Burress or Brandon Marshall.
However, Cutler, Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo have been adamant that enough talent already is on hand in the passing game. Wide receivers Devin Hester and Earl Bennett and tight end Greg Olsen have drawn consistent praise.
Pace and Omiyale, who has moved to guard, are expected to bolster an offensive line that played adequately last season. Kevin Jones, a year and a half removed from knee surgery, is expected to improve as a backup to Forte.
The defense added Tinoisamoa, who has established himself as a starting linebacker in the NFL and could improve two segments of the team. The linebackers figure to be better with him aboard, and 2008 starter Nick Roach can return to his role as a special teams coverage ace.
Mostly, the defense expects to get better through coaching changes. Smith touted the progress of the defensive line under the tutelage of his friend Rod Marinelli, who joined the team in January.
“He has done a super job with the line,” Smith said. “I have seen improvement in all of our [linemen].”
Smith is the new defensive play-caller, returning to the role that earned him acclaim as the St. Louis Rams’ defensive coordinator early in the decade.
The Bears’ defensive playbook has been Smith’s all along, so there will be few substantial changes. The hope is that Smith will do a better job of knowing what to call and when than Bob Babich, who held the role the past two seasons and has returned to his former job as linebackers coach.
An obvious concern on defense is the health of defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who missed most of the offseason practice schedule as a precaution to rest his lingering knee injury.
Then there is the situation at free safety, which might be even a bigger question mark than wide receiver. Second-year pro Craig Steltz and converted cornerback Corey Graham are the leading options at the position.
“We feel like the safety position in time will just be one of those positions making plays for us,” Smith said.
Smith is known for his unyielding sanguinity, so he surely would have made that statement in any year.
At the conclusion of this particular offseason, it is easier for the optimism to be contagious.
